Nights Spent With You
by hallow777
Summary: Castle and Beckett's trip to L.A. is only the beginning, of the nights they spend together.
1. Phone Calls

**I'm surprised I managed to wait this long to write a L.A. centric fanfic... **

**I do NOT own Castle.**

**There shouldn't be any big spoilers in here, if you've seen the promo, then you don't have anything to worry about spoiler wise. Though I'm going to try and keep this as realistic as possible.**

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><p>It all started with a phone call from Lanie while she was getting ready for work.<p>

"You are going to want to come see this." She had said, and when she started rattling off the address to a prison that wasn't covered in her jurisdiction, Beckett started to get worried.

It didn't help that Lanie wouldn't tell her anything over the phone, other than to hurry get down to the prison.

She had a bad feeling about this, so instead of rushing over to the prison by herself, she hit number two on speed dial and headed out the door.

Finally, after the fifth ring, a sleepy voice answered the phone, saying something she couldn't quite understand.

"Castle?"

"Beckett? Do we have a case?" Instantly he was wide awake at the prospect of a case, even though it was still early for him.

"I'm not really sure. Get dressed and I'll pick you up in ten."

She hung up the phone and ten minutes later, she pulled up to his building to see that he was already waiting for her.

As they drove towards the prison, Beckett filled him in on the phone call and they spent the rest of the trip trying to figure out why Lanie had called them out.

None of their theories came close.

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><p>Royce was dead.<p>

Even though she had seen his lifeless body lying on the floor of the prison, she was still having a hard time believing it.

As if arresting him all those months ago wasn't hard enough on her, now he was dead.

Murdered.

And she couldn't do anything about it.

Montgomery had forbade her from working on the case as soon as he had heard that she was snooping around it, he had even gone so far as to kick her out of the precinct for the day.

She understood, she really did. She was too close, not only emotionally, but she knew that if she was working the case, and someone started checking into her, they would find out her past with Royce and since he was a criminal when he died, they would have reason to doubt her credibility to do her job.

So she understood why the Captain did what he did, but that didn't mean she liked it.

So now she was sitting at her dining room table, papers spread out in front of her with notes she had managed to gather on the case before the Captain showed up.

After thirty minutes, she had come to two conclusions.

One, the most likely suspect had escaped to L.A.. Two, that she really didn't want to be alone right now.

Beckett picked up her phone that was sitting right next to her and almost hit number two on speed dial, before deciding on hitting number four instead.

"Kate?" Josh answered after just a few rings, sounding slightly out of breath. He answered too soon, she wasn't exactly sure how she wanted to phrase her request without sounding extremely pathetic and needy.

"Kate? Is something wrong?"

"I...Someone that I... Used to be close to was murdered."

He let out a little gasp, not expecting her to say that, but she almost didn't hear it over all the commotion going on in the background. It was apparently a busy day at the hospital. "Oh god, honey, I'm so sorry-"

He sounded like he was going to say more, but someone called his name and he had to tell them something before he could talk to Beckett again.

"Are you going to be too busy for our date tonight then? Is that why you are calling?"

Date? She had completely forgotten they were planning to go out to dinner and a movie tonight. "No, I'm not allowed to work the case. I was hoping you could at least get off early," The commotion in the background got even louder. "But it doesn't sound like it."

"No, I-" He had to stop and shout out orders to a nurse as she passed by. "I wish I could, Kate. I really do, but there was a bus involved in a car wreck an hour ago and we are up to our knees in patients."

"It's okay, I should let you go. I'll see you tonight?" Within a few seconds, they said their goodbyes and she hung up the phone.

And so she was still alone, she should have just hit number two on speed dial and called Castle instead.

It wasn't really Josh's fault though, he was so busy it's not like he could have just taken off to come over and keep her company.

But, there was a nagging voice in the back of her head pointing out that he wasn't there for her, again.

They both worked such hectic jobs, how would they possibly ever be there for each other?

Before she knew it, she had picked up the phone and hit speed dial number four again.

"Kate? I-" She started talking before he could finish whatever he was going to say.

"This isn't working, Josh, and you know it."

"Kate, what?" Someone was yelling his name in the background again, and she had to strain to hear what he said next. "I'm sorry, but can't this wait until later? Over dinner?"

"No, it can't." Beckett took a deep breath before going on. "I need someone who can be there for me, and I can be there for him. How can we be there for each other if we can barely get time to go out to dinner together? I need you to be with me right now, but they need you there, and I could never ask you to give up your job for me. Just like I couldn't give up my job for you. We can't keep doing this."

"Please, we can work through this. I'll come home as soon as I can so just-"

"No, I don't think we can." She had been looking down at the table while they were talking, not really noticing what she was looking at until now. When she realized she had be staring at the paper where she had written "L.A.?" in large letters, she suddenly knew what she wanted, no needed, to do.

"I'm going to be out of town for a couple days, so come and get your stuff, lock up with your key, and then give the key to my neighbor."

"Kate!"

"Goodbye, Josh."

She hung up on him, and then walked over to her laptop and opened it, she had an airplane ticket to buy.

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><p><strong>So I think this first chapter seems a little slow, but if you stick around, I have plans for this story... Oh boy do I have plans for this story XD.<strong>


	2. Plans

**It's been like 5-6 years since I've flown so I imagine things are a little different now so I don't know if you can still pick your seats or not, but just pretend you can for this story please.**

**I do NOT own Castle.**

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><p>"Are you sure about this, dad?" Alexis watched her father put one more item into his suitcase, then zip it up.<p>

"Yup, I don't know if I will be able to do anything, but I have to at least try. Plus, the 'Heat Wave' producers have been trying to get me out to the set for months now, that's a perfect cover story. No one will ever know that I'm working the Royce case."

"Yeah, until you get caught."

"You have such little faith in me, I am not going to get caught." Castle turned from his suitcase and held his arms open. "Come, give your old man a hug. I'll probably be gone for a few days."

Father and daughter embraced for a few minutes, then Castle grabbed his suitcase with one hand, while keeping one arm around Alexis as they walked out into the living room.

When they came to a stop in front of the front door, Alexis turned to look at her father.

"You aren't leaving already, are you? Your flight doesn't leave for a few hours."

"Yup, I've got something to do before I leave, and you know how I like to get to the airport early."

She hugged him once more, then stepped back. "Alright, have a safe trip, and good luck!"

"Thanks, but I think you are going to need more luck than me," Castle chuckled at the confused look she gave him. "When you have to tell Mother that she can't have more than three guests at a time while I'm gone."

"Can't you tell her?"

"Sorry Pumpkin." With a quick kiss to his daughter's forehead, Castle headed out the door, and grabbed a cab to an apartment he had been visiting a lot in the last few months.

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><p>He could have just called her, instead of showing up at her apartment to see her, but he wanted to see for himself how she was taking Royce's death.<p>

He wasn't stupid, he knew that everything she had said on the phone to Royce that day was the truth, and he knew she had to be taking his death hard, even if she wouldn't show it.

Especially since the Captain wasn't letting her work the case. Castle knew that she understood why the Captain wasn't letting her on the case, but he also knew that it had to be driving her nuts.

Which is why when he came to the conclusion that the most likely suspect had escaped to L.A., he had come up with the idea to do some detective work on his own.

After all, the Captain only kicked him out of the precinct, he didn't _exactly_ say that he couldn't work the case. He may have hinted at it, but since he didn't outright say it...

So now he was outside Beckett's door, hand tapping out the 'Cops' theme until she answered it.

The door swung open, and she greeted him, already knowing who it was by the knocking.

"Castle."

"Hey," He tried- and failed- to peer into her apartment to check for signs of Josh without her noticing. "Are you busy?"

"No..."

"Perfect." Castle started forward and Beckett just moved out of the way, used to him barging into her apartment by now.

Once he was inside her apartment, he wasn't sure what to do so she ended up leading him over to the couch where they sat down on opposite ends, turning so they were facing each other.

"So? Care to explain why you are here?" She didn't have time to beat around the bush, she had packing to do.

"I just wanted to see how you were doing."

"With the case? I'm fine, it's not like Royce and I were that close anymore." A complete and total lie, but he knew better than to call her out on it.

"Well yes that, and to see how well you were taking the fact that you couldn't work the case."

"Ah well..." An involuntary glance over at the dinning room table had Castle up and standing over the table in seconds, looking at all her notes.

"I should have known you couldn't just leave it alone," He grinned over his shoulder at her before turning his attention back to her notes. "You're thinking L.A. too?"

"You were thinking the same thing?" She came over and stood next to him, gazing at all the papers she had spread out on her table before turning towards him.

"Yeah, it's the only thing that makes sense. At least with the little bit of information we have." Suddenly, something occurred to him. Something that could potentially ruin his plans. "Have you told the precinct about this?"

"Um..." Of course she hadn't, that could tip off the Captain about her plan. "No, not yet."

"Oh good," Castle let out a sigh of relief, and she looked at him questioningly. "Er uh, I mean-" He was saved from having to explain by her phone ringing.

Still keeping a suspicious eye on the writer, Beckett reached over and picked up the phone that was on the table, and after seeing Josh's name on the screen, she canceled the call.

"I can go, if you need to take that," Castle said after seeing her cancel the call. "I've got to head out in a little bit anyway..."

"No, it's okay. It was nothing." Now it was his turn to look suspiciously at her, so she turned and walked into the kitchen to get a drink to avoid his stare.

"Can I get you anything?"

"Thanks, but no. I've got a flight to catch. I try not to drink much of anything before I get on a plane, I get claustrophobic in those tiny little bathrooms."

Beckett stopped and turned around to face him with a raised eyebrow. "That flight wouldn't happen to be flight six two seven, would it?"

"Wha- wait, huh? How could you have possibly known that? Unless..." Castle trailed off, a ridiculous grin forming on his face. "You are planning to go to L.A. too! Ha! I think I'm becoming a bad influence on you, Detective. This is the second time you've gone rogue in almost three months."

"Yeah well... I haven't actually booked the flight yet. I was starting to have doubts about going, but if you are going, then I better go to keep you in line." As soon as she said she hadn't booked the flight yet, he zeroed in on her laptop and started looking at the flight information, fully intend on changing her seating to first class so that they could sit together for the flight.

"Flying first class? Feeling a little indulgent, aren't you Detective?" He said when he noticed that she had already selected first class.

"I'm not exactly fond of flying, so if I have to do it, I always get first class...What are you doing?" She could see things being changed on the computer screen from her position behind him, but had to get closer, and look over his shoulder, to be able to see exactly what he was doing.

"What makes you think I even want to sit next to you for seven hours?" He had been changing her seat, and though she didn't know where he was sitting, she assumed that's why he was changing it.

"Six and a half, actually." A blank stare was all the response he got. "We can build theory while we travel?"

"Give me my laptop, Castle." Pouting, he handed over the laptop so she could change her seat again, but instead of changing it, she just checked to make sure all the information was right before hitting the button to book the flight.

"There, now entertain yourself, _without_ snooping through my stuff, while I finish packing and then we can share a cab to the airport. Or if you need to leave, that's fine."

"Nope, I'm good. I'm packed and ready to go, my suitcase is outside your door."

"All right, it won't take too long. I was almost done when you showed up."

"Take your time, we have an hour before we have to be there in time to get through security."

Nodding, Beckett headed into her bed room to finish packing while Castle settled into her couch to wait.


	3. Offers

**If my internet cooperates, I hope to get some rapid fire updating done on this story. I want to get past a certain part before the L.A. episode airs so that it doesn't mess with my ideas for this story.**

**EDIT: I'm on Words With Friends now as Hallow777, I warn you though, I kinda suck at it.**

**I do NOT own Castle.**

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><p>"Beckett-"<p>

"If you even think about asking me how much longer the flight is again, I'm going to walk back into coach, find the most annoying person I can, and switch seats with them. So for the love of god, Castle. Shut. Up." They were only a little over halfway through their flight to Los Angeles and so far he had been asking 'are we there yet?', or something similar, every thirty minutes.

Beckett was about ready to jump out of the plane, or throw him out, either one.

"I was just going to ask if you had booked your hotel already..." He said hesitantly, and she regretted snapping at him.

"Yes I did. I reserved my hotel room while I did my flight, you didn't see it when you were messing with the seating?"

"Nope, so? Where are you staying?"

"Uh..." Her face scrunched up as she tried to remember the name of the hotel, and he couldn't stop himself from staring and thinking she was adorable until she finally reached for her purse, that was under her seat, and pulled out a slip of paper that had the address to the hotel on it.

"I don't remember the name, but here." He took the paper from her fingers and read it, his eyebrows climbing higher and higher on his face as his knowledge of L.A. told him that her hotel was literally on the other side of the city from where they need to be investigating.

So he told her that.

"I know, but it's the only one that-"

"-that is at least somewhat affordable to anyone who doesn't have a millionaire's budget?" Castle finished for her and she nodded.

"You know..." He started after a few minutes of silence between them. "Please don't get mad, but when I was booking my hotel, the only one in the neighborhood of where we need to be, they only had a two bedroom suite available so I-"

"No" It was her turn to cut him off, but he just kept going.

"-was thinking it wouldn't be that big of a deal if we just shared." Beckett looked like she had something to say, but he just gave her a pointed look and continued. "Just think, you'd have your own bedroom, you could even have the bedroom with the bathroom with the jacuzzi in it if you wanted. You'd have your space, I wouldn't bother you, and plus you won't have to travel all the way across the city to go back and forth from your hotel. Just think about it, okay?" With that he sat back in his seat, prepared to leave her to her thoughts for a while when his mouth opened of it's own accord.

"Ugh, how much longer until we land..." Realizing what he had done, Castle trailed off and looked over at Beckett with a scared look, knowing that if he pushed enough she really would make good on her earlier threat.

She turned away from him to look down the aisle at the door leading to coach and he was afraid she really was going to switch seats, but then she turned back around with a smirk on her face.

"I'll make you a deal, Castle. If you can stay silent, without fidgeting, for one whole hour, I will take you up on your offer."

Without a sound, Castle pulled out his phone- it was on airplane mode so it was safe to use- and set a timer for one hour before miming zipping his mouth shut and getting comfortable in his seat.

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><p>Castle woke up when his phone started vibrating where he had left it lying on his leg, when he fell asleep waiting for the hour to be up. With a grin, he triumphantly held up his phone and showed Beckett, who had been reading a Patterson book, that the hour was up.<p>

"See? I was quiet for a whole hour. Guess you'll be joining me in my suite for our stay?"

"Nope."

"No? But-But you promised!" He didn't care that the rest of the passengers probably thought he was acting like a child.

"I did. _If_ you were quiet." She was smirking at him and it was slightly unnerving.

"But-"

"You talk in your sleep."

Castle was about to protest, then he remembered that he usually did end up talking in his sleep if he wasn't extremely comfortable while sleeping. Even first class seats weren't _that_ comfortable.

"Redo? Please? One more chance."

Beckett took a few long seconds to think about it, before finally telling him he had one more chance.

Castle set the timer again, and Beckett settled back in with her book to enjoy her hour of peace and quiet.

What Castle didn't know was that he had already won.

She had spent the whole hour he was asleep thinking about his offer, and had decided to do it.

Of course she wasn't about to tell him that, not if it meant getting another hour of quiet out of him.

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><p>Never before had he been so happy to feel his phone vibrating, signaling that his long torturous hour of silence was up.<p>

He had been perfectly quiet the whole hour, thanks to the tons of games and entertainment apps he had on his iPad.

Once again he raised his phone up to show her time was up, and she nodded, indicating that he could speak again.

"Okay, so unless I fell asleep again and didn't know it, I was completely quiet the whole hour, right?" He was looking at her expectantly and she had to bite her lip to keep from laughing at the look since it reminded her of a small puppy wanting a treat.

"Yes, amazingly, you were quiet the whole hour." A teasing smile started forming on her face. "Though I know you nearly messed up when you were playing Angry Birds earlier." Watching him attempt levels with those completely and utterly useless boomerang birds- he had very nearly started cursing at one point- had been hilarious, not that she would ever admit to watching him though.

"Ha, I should have known better than to play that while trying to keep quiet. I never play it around Alexis, let's just say that I get very creative with certain words while playing that game. Speaking of game, care for a game of Scrabble? It is awesome on the iPad." He was holding up his iPad, waving it in front of her face while the Scrabble app started up.

"No thanks, we both know how bad I am at that game." She gently pushed it away from her, but after seeing his face fall, she spoke again. "But we could play something else."

And so they played various games on the iPad, sometimes they would play two-player games, and other times one would play a game while the other 'helped', until they finally touched down in Los Angeles.


End file.
